Located at 40-23 - 2 Chome, Suido bata Cho, Bunkyo Ku, Tokyo. It wasn't much of a palace, to be sure! The little kerosene stove was hardly adequate on cold winter mornings, and the place was tiny and cramped, quite a contrast to some of the other lavish quarters we had right after the war in Germany.
This wasn't a single house; it was a fourplex. We had the unit on the upper left, and you had to go up a dark, dingy stairway to get there, and haul all your groceries, etc.
In the one bathroom it had one of those deeeeeeeep tiled Japanese soaking tubs, and up above was an instant hot water heater that made menacing noises whenever it was running, like it was going to explode any minute and spew boiling water down all over the bather below. But at least the water was hot on demand. As I remember, the kitchen was so tiny it was a joke, more like a closet than a kitchen. Fortunately, we had wonderful Nobuko working for us, who was very pregnant but who still thought it was such a treat to cook for our family in this "modern" kitchen. I never could imagine what the kitchen must have been like in her own home if she thought this one was so modern and up-to-date. Why, being eight or nine months' pregnant, she could hardly squeeze into the space herself, let alone have anyone else in there to perhaps help her.
2. Quarters 204, Washington Heights
When we finally moved to Wash Heights, Nobuko quit to have her baby, and we got Tami-San, who was little and extremely cute, but also quite impertinent and who took lots of liberties about being late coming to work. Seems she liked American GI's, and they liked her, and much of her time was taken up in pursuits other than keeping house for the Murphys.
I know now that our quarters number was 204, and it was located on the last little street that took off to the right from the main loop that went back around toward the main part of Wash Heights and the teen club. It was right up next to the Meiji Park wall, in fact the wall was probably right behind the photographer. I have no idea what the name of the street was; if you do, I'd love to know. The street went off base not too far beyond our house, as I remember. Anyway, this picture would have been taken during the school year 1956-57.
JAPANESE NIGHT AT THE OFFICER'S CLUB
3. Nobuko helping Mother Dress
4. Art & Lillian Dressed for Party
But such is the life of an "Army Brat," sometimes it's feast and sometimes it's famine. But I guess that's what makes memories, some of the memories I have of life in Tokyo some 50 years ago. Egad, can it be possible that we are getting that old?
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This Candid Picture Page was last updated on 8 APRIL 2005
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